Doesn’t she look as if she is trying to blend in with her surroundings? Or perhaps Nek ChandΒ arranged his sculptors to suit her woody nature.
For Becca’s Sunday Trees 273
Year: 2017
CFFC: Inside Out
Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge this week is about Inner and Outer. Come join me as I weave in and out of here and there π
Inside a hotel suite in Kalimpong, West Bengal
Inside Gandhiji’s room in Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad.
An insider’s view of the outside of the City Palace, Udaipur, Rajasthan India.
Or would you prefer an evening view?
Inside view of a bangle shop in Punjab. Newly married girls wear the entire ‘cylinder’ of bangles (comprising of individual rings). If you like you can read more about the custom here
Caught up in the frenzy of Cee’s photo challenges, the termites obligingly nibbled away the outside of this tree to give us an inside view π
Hope you had fun – which one is your favorite?
SPF: Mired
Mired
Words 195
He rocked on his heels as he took in the picturesque scene.
Not a blade, not a ripple out of place β just the way he liked it. Streamers and balloons heralded his arrival but what he liked best was the trumpets blaring his entry. He frowned, he would have to make it clear, he didnβt much care for the pink stuff β he was after all a man.
He squinted into the distance β what an eyesore!
βHey you! Get out of the way. Canβt you see Me coming?β
βGo on ahead. I am not in your way am I?β
βYou bother me just by being! Get the hell out of here.β
βHow would you manage without me?β
βHuh! Are you crazy? What do you do – except clutter the place?β
βTo me it looks as if you are the one blocking the pathβ¦β
βYouβ¦you nobody! How dare you speak to me like this? Donβt you know who I am? With just a twitch I can blow you out of existence.β
She snickered. βSure you can.β
βAre you challenging ME?β
βChicken.β She thumbed her nose at him.
βHow dare you? Charge!β
Smirking, she edged towards the riverbank.
***
Written for Sunday Photo Fiction – a story in 200 words or less. Thanks to Alistair Forbes for hosting and C.E.Ayr for the photo. To read the other stories inspired by this prompt click here
Thanks for reading – do leave me a note π
WPC: Recreate
The theme for the Daily Post’s photo challenge this week is repurpose – recycling or re-purposing an object into a clever new use. Well to tell the truth, I am not clever enough to do anything of the sort. But I am clever enough to know and click works of amazing people who are expert at this art π
The first to come to mind is of course Nek Chand of Chandigarh’s world famous Rock Garden.
An arched path in the garden – notice the material it is made of?
Broken light fixtures – ingenious isn’t it?
Another gateway – made of broken crockery
Dolls made of broken glass bangles. Married women wear colorful glass bangles particularly in North India. Nek Chand collected heaps of broken glass bangles and created not only rows and rows of dolls but also peacocks and other decorative items for his rock garden.
Moving on, here’s a table lamp fashioned out of a piece of stone – beautiful isn’t it?
And finally, isn’t it fascinating how just a few colored strings can be re-purposed into almost anything in the hands of the right one – like that of the Officially Amazing Crochet Queen, Svkuki.
Thank you for visiting and do let me know your favorite re-purposing π
For readers of MS, here's Chapter 118 and for fans of IPK and readers of SS - A Tangled Web - 3
WPS: Why on Earth!
This is my entry to the flash fiction challenge What Pegman Saw inspired by any view of a given location on Google maps. The challenge is to write a story in 150 words or less.This weekβs location is of Buffalo N.Y. suggested by Y. To read the other stories inspired by this prompt click here
To see the location Google maps, click here
Why on Earth!
Words 142
As I walked down the street, the roads lengthened, elongated, stretched and merged. Rows and rows of houses and not a person in sight.
Would I die of thirst in a foreign country?
Dare I knock on a door?
Where oh where did the one with streaked hair live? Surely she would spare me someβ¦
I stilled.
Mesmerized I rubbed my eyes.
A clear blue lake with the faintest of ripples encased by the greenest of greens.
Parched, I stepped forward only to draw back in fright. Whoosh!
A massive black apparition emerged from the waters.
Shaking off the droplets and turning its curly horned head, the buffalo grinned at me, flapped its wings and took off into the sky.
Hmm, not a particularly graceful ascent, but definitely an interesting piece with a lot of movement, I thought just as I woke.
***
Thanks for reading – look forward to your reactions.
The Buxom Lady
The Last Bastion
The Last Bastion
Words 102
βWow!β Suresh stared at the gleaming vintage car, quite out of place in the rustic surroundings.
βMaharaja Pratap Chandβs car.β The decrepit grandson reclined on a charpoy under a tree.
βA goldmine Grandpa! If you sell it, our family fortunes will take a turn for the better.β
βWe wonβt sell the last symbol of our Royal heritage.β
βOf what use are symbols if we are dead?β
Grandpa pulled at his hookah.
βWould you consider renting it?β
βWe, of royal families, don0t dabble in petty businesses.β
βThe film industry would give good money.β
βIf they need it, they may borrow it. For free.β
***
Written for the Friday Fictioneers – a story in 100 words or less. Thanks to Rochelle for hosting and to Al Forbes for the photo prompt. To read the other stories inspired by this prompt, click here
Thanks for reading – would love to hear from you π
SPF: Ill-timed
Ill-timed
Words 198
βMust you go?β
βWhat a question?β Professor Ray was incredulous. βAfter all these years donβt you know that I always honor my commitments?β
βEven at the cost of your wifeβs life?β
βNow donβt be so melodramatic Madhu. Itβs just a broken arm.β
βHow will I manage alone?β
βAsk the maid to stay.β
βThey havenβt even sent you the tickets like they usually do.β Madhu pointed out.
βThe invitation letter clearly mentions all travel expenses and local hospitality will be borne by them.β
βItβs not like you have to catch the local train! You have to go to a different country. They should have sent you the tickets.β
βRoberts is an old friend. I have been to many conferences organized by him. Tickets or reimbursement have never been an issue.β
βBut still you should confirm with him. Itβs not a small amount.β
βWhat should I say? Show me the money first? I am academician not a businessman.β
βSurely there are other ways to ask?β
βStop fussing!β Ray overruled Madhuβs objections and left for the conference.
βRoberts,β Ray called him from the hotel, βI am here for your conference. Have you changed the venue?β
βConference? But that is next year.β
***
Written for Alistair Forbes Sunday Photo Fiction – a story in 200 words or less. To read the other stories inspired by this prompt, click here
Β Thanks for reading – have you ever mixed up dates? π
COB: Of This & That
It’s been a while since I posted Oddballs but nevertheless, since you are here, how about a cup of coffee?
One for you and one for me π
Now cast your eye upwards (after you scroll down)
I liked the wall decor but I couldn’t quite make out what the flying yellow man is doing up there. Providing competition to Spiderman and his ilk? And speaking of yellow…
Truly I had no intentions of capturing him this yellow man and wanted to delete the photo. But I found it weird that he is apparently jogging at a popular tourist attraction in Vienna – SchΓΆnbrunn Palace.
Odd isn’t it? But then again the palace grounds are extensive, perhaps he thought of killing two birds with one stone – sightseeing while working out π
What do you think?
Have a great weekend and thanks for visiting.
For readers of Moonshine, here's Chapter 117 and A Tangled Web -2
WPC: Amazing Grace
The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge is all about being graceful and dance is all about grace. India is a treasure house of dances ranging from regional folk dances to classical dances. As a child I was fascinated with the classical dance forms. I learned a bit of Bharatnatyam and even had the opportunity to give a stage performance in a school competition – mostly because there was no other taker from our house π But I will have you know that I stood second π No there weren’t two competitors (as my dear brother who was late for the performance suggested) – there were five. Yeah and I was just as incredulous as you but what stands out most in my memory is that my dance teacher said that she wasn’t surprised. A lovely cherished memory! There are other memories too associated with that day but perhaps another day, another challenge π
As far as grace is concerned, of all the classical Indian dance forms, I have to confess that I personally find the Odissi dance form to be the most graceful. Odissi is a major ancient Indian classical dance that originated in the Hindu temples of Odisha, an eastern coastal state of India. Here are a couple of my beautiful and graceful friend’s photo – I have shared these before but I couldn’t resist posting them again.
Isn’t she stunning?
So who’s is your favorite?
For readers of Moonshine, here's Chapter 116 AND for IPK fans/readers of SS here's the first part of A Tangled Web
Stories and more 